Object marker



Juhe 10, 1947. J. R. MATTHEWS ET-AL 2,422,115

OBJECT MARKER 2 Sheets-Sheet l:

' Filed larch 29, 1945 IZJEMATTHEWS- WAD/#11030 J. R. MATTHEWS ETAL OBJECT MARKER June 10,1947.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '29, 1945 .ZEQMATT E ws w A. DAVIDSON Patented June 10, 1947 OBJECT MARKER Jessie R. Matthews and William A.'Davidson,

Norfolk, Va., assignors of seventeenvone-hundredths to P. H. Mason, seventeen one-hundredths to W. D. Mason, and seventeen onehundredtlis to J. H. Mason, all of Norfolk, Va.

Application arch 29, 1945, Serial No. 585,494

6 Claims. (01. 9162.5)

This invention relates to object'markers and more particularly to devices for applying identifying marks to the corners of containers such as boxes, cartons, crates, or the like, so that the markings may easily be seen even when the containers are stacked. H t t Many millions of containers are now being shipped overseas for use by the armed forces. In order to facilitate routing and distribution every container must have at least two diagonally opposite corners .marked witha particular color, different color markings respectively indicating different destinations 'or consignees; Thus one color may indicate consignment to a certain branch of the armed services, e. g. the hrmy, another the Navy and so on, The marking of diagonally opposite corners assures that regardless of the orientation ofa containerin a stack at least one corner ma'rkingcan be seen. a It is understood that military and naval regulations require that every container be marked in this manner. H ,7

Prior to the present invention, the standard practice followed in applying such corner markings has been topaint the corners manually with an ordinary paintbrush, Thecorners must be painted on three triangular sides or surfaces so that the completed marking is, in'effect, on the sidesof a triangular pyramid This manual operation has been time-consumingjand expensive. g

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and efiicient device in the nature ofa stamp or die by which all of the surfaces adjacent the corner of an object, e g. a"container,fmay be marked simultaneously by merely pressingthe device, into contact with the objectcorner portion.

Afnotherobject of the invention is to provide 'aidevice of the character referred to including a fountain, reservoir or the like 'for containing marking fluid which flows to a marking element, such asfa pad applicator, thereby maintaining the marking element always in condition to be used Without its being necessary for the operator to interrupt'a' series of marking operations to add fluid to the marking element.

Other objects will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1jis a perspective view of part of a shipping container and a marking device embodying' the invention applied thereto for transferring identifying marking material to all'three sides at one corner of the container; w

Figure '2 isaview similar to Figure 1 but showing the marking device withdrawn from the container with the "marking material appliedto the three sides at the corner of the container;

Figure 3 Ba sectional 'viewof the marking device-the section beingtaken on the Iine3.-3 of'Figure 4; and 5 Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3. The drawings show a marking device embodying the invention in one preferred form as comprising an applicator generally designated, A and a handle generally designated B. In the illustrative device the applicator A is so shaped as to be adapted to mark three sides S of a pyramidal area P at the corner of an object, for example a shippingcontainer C of parallelepiped form,

The applicator A comprises a light sheath or frame I of metal or other suitable stiff material comprising thre substantially triangular sides 2 joined or formed to the shape of an open base pyramid conforming substantially tothej shape of the pyramidal area P to be marked onthe container C.

The sheath or frame I supports means' for transferring marking'material to the object to be marked, the material transferring means "shown comprising'an ink pad including three sides 3 respectively lying flat against the innerfaoes of the three sheath sides 2. Preferablythe ink pad sides 3 are resilient or compressibleso as to be capable of conforming to irregularities in the surfaces of the pyramidal areaP of the container to be marked. To this nd'the'ink pad includes an inner or surface flexible fabric 4 backed by cushions'comprising layers of'felt 5;"6 and 1 which may'vary in thickness as shown in Figure 3. The ink pad structure is secured to the sheath or frame I by means of metal strips 8 extending along the lower edges of the'fabric 4 and holding the lower edges clamped against the sheath sides 2 by means of suitable fastening means such as rivets 9'. v

In use, markingmaterial is applied to the fabric in any suitable manner and the felt ink cushions 5, 6, and 1 will soak up and maintain a supply of marking material as well as providing cushions for the purpose previously explained. The applicator is'placed in contact with the cornerof the container C in the position shown in Figure l and is pressed firmly against the container to trans fer marking material to the'container corner over substantially the whole of the pyramidal area P. The "handle'B is connected to the applicator'A at the apex of the applicator so that when pressure is'exerted on the handle all three sides of the applicator will contact the associated sides I S of thepyraniidal rea P with substantiallyequal force.

Preferably the marking device embodies self contained means for holding a supply of ink'or other marking material which can be fed to the applicator under the control of the operator so'a-s to avoid the necessity of interrupting-a 'seriesof marking operations for applying the marking material to'the inner sides or fabric covering 4- of the. applicator. In the form shown, the handle B; ishollow so as to provide an ink fountain or reservoir 10. The handle comprises a cylinder H screwed as at 12 to a valve body l3 which in turn is screwed as at M to a flange 15 at the apex of the applicator sheath I, The valve body I3 is formed with a duct or passage 16 for con-- ducting ink from the fountain or reservoir ID to a, chamber H at the apex of the sheath 1 Flow of ink through the passage 15 may be controlled the chamber I! to the tops of the felt pads 5, 6,. I

and I.

In use, the valve 29 is opened until enough ink has flowed into the pads 5, 6, and 1 to saturate the flexible covering 4 with the marking ink. The operator then presses the applicator against 1 the cornersof the containers to be marked and 3 opens the valve 29 periodically in order toreplenish the supply of ink in the applicator.

- For applying markings of difierent identifying colors a set of marking devices, supplied respectively with marking materials of different i colors, may be provided. If the change from one color to another is not to be made often, one marking device may be used and the device may be cleaned and the fountain l9 filled with diiferent marking material. a t I It will be apparent that the marking device described above provides for a very quick and efiicient marking of the corners of containers or other objects without the disadvantages heretofore encountered when applying similar markings manually by means of, a brush. Although the marking device shown for the purposes of illustration embodies the invention in the form now preferred, it will be apparent that changes may be made in the construction and relative arrangement of parts without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

We claim:

A device for marking the three sides of a substantially pyramidal area to the corner of an object of substantially parallelepiped form, said device comprising an applicator includingthree substantially triangular sides joined together so as to form the sides of an open base ramid, the inner faces of said applicator sides being con- 1 stituted by flexible material adapted to carry marking material and to transfer said marking material to said object pyramidal area whensaid applicator inner faces are pressed into contact ible material whereby the latter can conform to irregularities in the surface of said area so as to enable substantially'the whole of said area to be marked.

2. A device for marking the three sides of a substantially pyramidal area at the corner of an object of substantially parallelepiped form,

said device comprising an applicator including three substantially triangular sides joined towith said area; and cushions backing said flex- 4, v as to form the sides of an open base pyramid, said substantially triangular sides comprising ink pads the inner faces of which are adapted to transfer ink to said object pyramidal area when said device is pressed against said object with said ink pad inner faces in contact with said area; a fountain reservoir attached to said applicator; and duct means for conducting ink from said fountain reservoir to said ink pads.

transfer ink tosaid object pyramidal area when said device is pressed against said object with said ink pad inner faces in contact with said area; a fountain reservoir attached to said applicator; duct means for conducting ink from said fountain reservoir to said ink pads; and a valve for controlling flow of ink from said fountain reservoir to said ink pads. i 5. A device for markingthe three sides of a substantially pyramidal area at the corner of an object of substantially parallelepiped form, said device comprising an applicator including three substantially triangular sides joined together so as to form the sides of an open base pyramid, said substantially triangular sides comprising ink pads the inner faces of which are adapted to transfer ink to said object pyramidal area when said device is pressed against said object with said ink pad inner faces in contact with said area; and a handle secured to said applicator at the apex of said pyramid whereby pressingon said handle will press said ink pads against the object with substantially equal'force.

6. A device for marking thethree sides of a substantially pyramidal area at the corner of an object of substantially parallelepiped form, said device comprising an applicator including three substantially triangular sides joined together so ink for said pads.

JESSIE R. MATTHEWS. WILLIAM A. DAVIDSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 14,294 Cochrane May 1, 1917 886,462 Amos May 5,1908 1,229,969 Kaschenback June 12, 1917 2,229,395 Stock Jan. 21, 1941 2,016,450 Myers Oct. 8, 1935 1,134,5'71 West Apr. 6, 1915 FOREIGN PATENTS Number 1 Country Date 315,928 Great Britain July 25, 1929 

